Dear all.
As such a large number of you have raised your concerns with various members of the committee in the last few days we feel it is important that we address the recent social media campaign that was started to stop members of Bracknell Ice Hockey Club from playing ice hockey at Slough should they wish to apply in the future. Many were deeply upset that a campaign could be started and supported to stop children learning to play a sport just because they have played for our club previously. The committee were made aware of the campaign against Bracknell late last week as it gathered pace, culminating with it featuring on the very popular 4000 And Counting social media sites.
As a junior development hockey club our role and responsibility is to encourage as many young people as possible into the sport and facilitate them to play to the very highest standard they are capable of. We have run two teams in most age groups to demonstrate that. As a club we would never have the views expressed by this campaign and we would never show any form of support for such a damaging and discriminatory group.
We do however ask you to please respect that social media is a free platform for people and organisations to share their thoughts and demonstrate their allegiances. This right obviously extends to Lukas Smital, the Lukas Smital academy and the Slough Junior Ice Hockey Club as well as their sponsors. We ask that despite their following of the campaign we all respect their right to have their opinions.
We ask that club members do not resort to any form of response on any social media to either the organisations they represent or their sponsors whilst still a member of the BIHC. We do understand your frustration, especially as Bracknell provided ice time to allow Slough Ice Hockey club to skate when they had no rink to practice and play on.
Whilst we find it disappointing that as a former BIHC and Bees head coach, and now the current head coach of the Slough organisation, that Lukas would follow this view and campaign, we still hope (should the time come) to be able to open dialogue with the Slough organisation and other clubs to facilitate any movement of players should our current situation remain unchanged.
The club position on social media remains unchanged and as always we do not wish to respond to any disparaging, negative or inflammatory public comments made against us. We implore you all to follow suit please. To react against the group that published this post or its followers will only serve to cause more damage to the reputation of ice hockey in general and our clubs’ reputation. If we are to attract new players and investment in the future into our ice rinks and sport we need to demonstrate people unity, not division. We must show that it is our children’s future and the sport that we care about, not personal gains or petty squabbles. This narrow minded, self serving campaign has no place in our sport, or any sport for that matter. Ice hockey is famed for its family, togetherness and spirit.
Since featuring on the 4000 and Counting social media sites I’m pleased to say there was an emphatic backlash against the campaign and a condemnation of its aims, and the inflammatory campaign post was taken down.
The BIHC Committee
